STA. ROSA, Laguna—The inherent unpredictability of match play was on full display here on Tuesday as unseeded Rico Depilo and Elee Bisera delivered massive upsets to eliminate the top two seeds in the opening round of the ICTSI The Country Club Match Play Invitational at the TCC layout.
Depilo, long a consistent presence on the Philippine Golf Tour but without a major breakthrough in stroke play, seized his moment in the head-to-head format. Displaying a perfect mix of resilience, risk-taking and tactical brilliance, he toppled defending champion and top seed Tony Lascuna in the stretch, pulling off a stunning 3&1 victory.
For Depilo, it was a career-defining performance, eclipsing his Top 10 finishes on the regular tour.
“Hindi ko ini-expect na matalo ko siya kasi alam kong magaling talaga siya (I didn’t expect to beat him because I know how skilled he is),” admitted Depilo, acknowledging Lascuña’s edge. “Ang inisip ko lang, pag umabot ng hanggang No. 18, baka sakali doon ako makakuha” (I was just thinking, if we could reach the 18th hole, I might have a chance there).
However, Depilo, 52, didn’t let the match stretch to the challenging par-4 closing hole.
With the duel tied after 14 holes, he delivered clutch pars on the 15th and 16th, taking advantage of Lascuña’s struggles to get up and down on both holes.
Depilo then seized the opportunity at the tricky, water-guarded par-3 17th, capitalizing on Lascuña’s bogey to clinch an unexpected victory against his more accomplished Davaoeño rival.
Bisera matched the magnitude of Depilo’s feat by ousting second-seed and multi-time champion Angelo Que in an intense battle that extended to the 19th hole. Both Depilo and Bisera showcased the beauty and brutality of match play – a format that levels the field, isolates mistakes and rewards bold decisions.
These twin upsets were just the tip of the iceberg on a day where nine of the 16 higher-seeded players fell to lower-ranked challengers under sweltering conditions on the demanding championship course. The remaining seven seeds barely held their ground, turning the season-ending P2-million event, organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc., into a thrilling rollercoaster ride.
While No. 3 Reymon Jaraula and sixth-seed Jhonnel Ababa lived up to expectations with emphatic 5&4 wins over former Philippine Masters champion Jerson Balasabas and Marvin Dumandan, respectively, No. 4 Rupert Zaragosa fell to Arnold Villacencio by the same scoreline, and fifth seed Clyde Mondilla was edged out, 1-up, by Nelson Huerva in another upset that kept the surprises coming.
Other notable results included seventh-seed Guido van der Valk dismantling Mars Pucay 6&4, Hyun Ho Rho prevailing over Francis Morilla 1-up, Mike Bibat overwhelming Tae Soo Kim 4&3, and Russell Bautista thrashing Collin Wheeler 5&4. Kakeru Ozeki outlasted Daiya Suzuki in a tense 1-up battle, while Eric Gallardo staged another shock by toppling eighth-seed Zanieboy Gialon 1-up.
Elsewhere, Albin Engino surprised No. 11 Ira Alido on the 19th hole, Dino Villanueva outlasted 12th-seed Ryan Monsalve 2&1, Jay Bayron defeated No. 15 Randy Garalde 4&2, and Art Arbole knocked out 16th-seed Nilo Salahog 2&1.
The quirky nature of match play – the “reset button” offered at every hole – remains the tournament’s defining characteristic. Mistakes can be quickly erased, and momentum swings can upend even the most dominant players, as Depilo and Bisera proved.
Moving forward, Depilo and Bisera will aim to capitalize on their stirring feats as they face Arbole and Bayron, respectively, in the Round of 16. The remaining matches also promise gripping action, with Rho taking on Gallardo, Huerva battling Villanueva, Bautista squaring off against Villacencio, Engino clashing with Ababa, and van der Valk dueling Bibat.
Meanwhile, Jaraula, now the highest seed left standing, will attempt to avoid the upset bug when he takes on Ozeki for a spot in the quarterfinals.
As the dust settles on a wild opening day, one thing is certain – match play remains the ultimate equalizer, where the best rankings can fall, and unheralded players can rise to write their own stories.
